HOPE is a village, township and parish, on the Peveril and
Noe rivers, the latter of which is crossed by a stone bridge of two
arches, 8 miles east from Chapel-en-le-Frith, 12 north from Bakewell,
6 north from Tideswell, 15 west from Sheffield and 9 miles north from
Millers Dale station on the Ambergate and Manchester section of the
Midland railway, and the Dore and Chinley railway now (1891) in course
of construction will pass near the village ; the parish includes the
townships of Aston, Thornhill, Brough and Shatton, Offerton, Stoke,
Fernilee, Nether Padley and the Lordship of Highlow, and is in the
High Peak division of the county, hundred of High Peak, Chapel-en-le-Frith
union, petty sessional division and county court district, rural deanery
of Eyam, archdeaconry of Derby and diocese of Southwell. The church
of St. Peter, standing on a slight elevation by the road side near
to the River Noe, and nearly surrounded by large sycamore and lime
trees, is a building of stone, consisting of chancel, clerestoried
nave of four bays, aisles, south porch and a western tower with a
squat broach spire, containing a clock and 6 bells, all cast in 1733
: the chief characteristics of the exterior are Perpendicular, the
outer walls of the clerestory, transepts and choir being surmounted
by embattled parapets, with occasional crocketed pinnacles : the south
porch with its parvise is also of this date: to the Decorated period
belong the nave arcades, which have lofty octagonal piers and capitals
of the same shape : the chancel retains a single piscina with trefoiled
head and three sedilia of the same date: the only remnant of an older
building is a piscina in the south aisle, which may be regarded as
Early English : the whole church, excepting the tower and spire, seems
to have been rebuilt about the beginning of the I4th century : in
the east window of the south aisle is a shield with the arms of Gell,
and in the north aisle is another with those of Eyre : the pulpit,
of Carved oak, bears date 1652 : the font is a massive octagon of
the 14th century : the church plate is dated 1711: there is a brass
against the north chancel wall to Henry Balguy, of Hope Hall, ob.
I7 March, 1685, with his arms and effigy in pointed hat, doublet and
breeches : on the oaken panelling of the chancel, originally forming
parts of old pews, are the dates 1581 and 1652, with others down to
1690 : the stained west window is a memorial to the late Joseph Nicholson,
of Sheffield and Brough : the church (with the exception of the chancel,
restored in 1881) was completely restored in 1887, at an outlay of
£2,050, the expense being defrayed by Edward Firth esq. of Birchfield
; the floor has been lowered to the original level, and the church
reseated in oak from the old pews, and the fine oaken roof opened
and renovated. The register, which is in good condition, dates from
the year 1559. The living is a discharged vicarage, average tithe
rent-charge £93, gross yearly value £250, including 10
acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter
of Lichfield, and held since 1871 by the Rev. Henry Buckston M.A.
of St. John's College, Cambridge. In the vicarage grounds there remains
the stem of an ancient cross of sandstone about 7 feet high, profusely
carved with interlaced work and foliage: a range of 6 stone steps,
once supporting a cross, still exists near the church porch. Here
is a Methodist chapel built in 1855. Gisborne's charity, amounting
to £6 12s. 11d. is distributed in clothing, and there is also
a sum of £8 17s. 4d. for the education of a few poor children.
A market for cattle is held the last Wednesday in every month, and
a fair for cattle on the 13th of May. The Hope Valley Agricultural
Society also holds its annual exhibition here. It is said that there
was a castle here in the time of Edward I and that John Plantagenet
or de Warrenne, Earl of Warren and Surrey, was appointed governor
in that reign. Birchfield, the seat of Edward Firth esq. is a substantially
built stone house, which has been several times enlarged, and is surrounded
by very extensive grounds; it is situated on the southern slopes of
Win hill, and commands unrivalled views of the picturesque scenery
in the neighbourhood. The trustees of the late Joseph Hall esq. are
lords of the manor of Hope, and the Duke of Devonshire K.G. of the
hamlets. The principal landowners are Edward Firth esq. Robert How
Ashton esq. J.P. of Castleton, and the trustees of the late Colonel
Charles Leslie K.H. (d. 1870). The soil is sandy loam; subsoil,
red gravel. The chief crop is hay, the remainder pasture. The acreage
of Hope township is 2,672A. 3R. 28P. ; of the parish 9,228 acres ;
rateable value of township, £2,919 ; the population of Hope
township in 1881 was 332, and for the parish 1,823.

Aston is a township, 1 mile north-east from Hope. It contains
about 714 acres; rateable value, £600 ; the population in 1881
was 96.

Brough and Shatton form a township, 1½ miles east from
Hope, with 987 acres; rateable value, £813; the population in
1881 was 74.

At the confluence of the Noe and the Bradwell is a place called "Halsteads,"
where are the remains of a Roman encampment, out of which, upwards
of a century ago, urns, pieces of swords, spears, bridle bits, busts
of deities and a gold coin of the reign of Augustus Caesar (A.D. 31),
were brought to light.

A stone bridge of two arches crosses the river Noe, connecting Brough
with Aston, leading to Chapel-en-le-Frith and Sheffield. Here are
lead smelting and white lead works and cotton mills.

Thornhill is a township, 2 miles east from Hope, situated on
the river Derwent. Here are Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist chapels;
the former has a burial ground attached. The trustees of the late
Col. Charles Leslie are lords of the manor and principal landowners.
The acreage is 587 ; rateable value, £740; the population in
1881 was 118.

Stoke is a township in the Western division of the county,
liberty of Stoke, parish of Hope, Bakewell union, petty sessional
division and county court district, 9 miles south-east from Hope,
1 mile north-east from Stoney Middleton. Stoke Hall, the seat of Michael
Hunter esq. and formerly occupied by the Arkwright family, is a fine
old rectangular mansion of stone, situated in a well-timbered park,
on the banks of the Derwent. Michael Hunter esq. J.P. owns all the
land here. The acreage is 511, 300 of which are forest land; rateable
value, £650; the population in 1881 was 22.

Offerton is a hamlet and township in Bakewell union, consisting
of 3 farms and 1 cottage. The Duke of Devonshire is lord of the manor.
The acreage is 658, 205 of which are common land; rateable value,
£313; the population in 1881 was 26.

Nether Padley is a hamlet and township in Bakewell union, with
a population in 1881 of 37 inhabitants; it contains 296 acres; rateable
value, £255.

Highlow is a lordship, in the parish of Hope and Bakewell union,
4 miles south-east from Hope and 3 miles south-west from Hathersage.
Highlow Hall formerly belonged to the Eyre family. The acreage is
421 ; rateable value, £326; the population in 1881 was 44.